Moon-Risen

I stared at the dress folded neatly on the bench at the foot of my bed and scoffed. This was the dress I was going to be wearing tomorrow. It was a simple style. Strapless, knee length, and black with silver beads embroidered in spirals on the skirt and sides of the bodice. Black ballet flats with lace to wrap up my legs were the shoes I was to wear in accompaniment.

Folded next to the dress on the bench was the outfit I’d have to wear for the physical portion of the testing. Black yoga pants, a violet dry-fit t-shirt, and black and violet Nikes.

With a groan, I threw myself down on my bed and covered my face with an arm. Tomorrow is The Choosing. Just thinking about it makes me want to wrap myself up in my black duvet like a burrito, and never resurface. There are three divisions in The Choosing. The first part is to dress up. The females and the males dress up and give each other a chance to see if they meet their true mates. If not, males remember you by appearance and scent.

The second part is the physical test. They take all the females out to a field where they are required to perform various physical tasks. Including running, throwing, shooting, and fighting. All so you can get a strength rating. Typically the male wolves with the higher strength ratings, (Alpha, Beta, Gamma, Delta) mate with the females who have a higher strength rating (In most cases the daughters of said pack positions).

The last section of The Choosing is the chase. The females are separated from the males and then released into the woods. The females are given a head start, but in return, they aren’t allowed to shift. After about five minutes, the males are released into the woods and they chase their desired mate. I know, no show of dominance or sexism there right?

I happen to be the lone daughter of Alpha Diego Khyber of the Eldoro pack. My father has been giving me extensive training lessons from the moment I could talk and retain memories. Therefore, I know I’ll probably excel in the physical portion of The Choosing much to my luck. However, I don’t think I need a mate. It’s not like I absolutely despise the idea, it’s just that I think I’d get along just fine without a male. I’m stronger and more intelligent than most female wolves out there. Growing up without having a boyfriend or any friends really did help me with codependency issues. Being alone all the time taught me how to entertain myself.

Over the years, I learned how to mask my emotions well. I became a machine; logical and strong, and that’s the way I plan to stay. When I'm alone, I allow some vulnerability and some tears. But in front of everyone, it's not an option as a future pack leader. It's the only way to protect myself.

Desiring a mate? Nothing but a distraction and a path to gnawing empty loneliness.

However, The Choosing is required. If someone doesn’t show up, the elders from each of the 13 packs are required to send a sheet of names to the Royal Family in Emerilian, the werewolf capital so-to-speak. They send the best trackers from the capital and all of the packs to hunt you down, once found, and trust me, they will find you, you’re brought before the royals and the high council and executed. Your charges; Disruption of the Order. Whatever the hell that is.

A murmuring of voices downstairs drew me out of my thoughts. It was my mother and father fiercely conversing about something, but they always do that. I’ve long since lost interest in wanting to know what the things that they so fervently discuss are.

I sat up and looked around my room, this was probably the last night I would see it. The chances of me being caught by one of the participating males from Eldoro are slim. This year we don’t have any future leadership males participating, except for the son of the Gamma, but he’s never expressed much of an interest in me.

The most likely scenario is that I leave tomorrow and don’t return. People from other packs rarely ever have the urge to go visit their original packs after finding a mate. Slowly whatever attachment they had to their family and friends begin to dissolve as their new life takes over. It really is quite sad.

With a bored sigh, I stood up to quadruple-check the one and only suitcase I was allowed to bring. A photo album full of pictures, such as when I got my first bow when I was seven, when I got my license, the first time I was allowed to attend the annual meeting of all 13 packs, etc. My cell phone, my two favorite daggers that I just couldn’t stand to part with, and the stuffed duck I’ve had since birth, Tiki.

Money, clothing, hygiene products, and anything else you could possibly need were supposed to be provided by your new mate upon your arrival at your new home. Mom told me that when she first came home with dad, he had prepared a whole closet, chest of drawers, bathroom, and kitchen with all sorts of things that she would need or want. I just hope my mate provides a couple of things at least.

I walked over to my vanity table and sat down. I stared long and hard at my reflection before frowning. It’s not that I’m ugly or anything, it’s just that I’m... painfully average. I’m not eye-catching in the slightest. My hair is straight with a color of dark brown and refuses to do anything except hang there limp on the sides of my face. My eyes are a pale, dull shade of grey. The small spattering of freckles across my cheekbones and nose sometimes gives me the appearance of an eleven-year-old. I had enlarged pores and my skin tended to get oily more often than not, and none of those things are easily hideable with a golden complexion like mine.

Staring myself in the eyes I whispered, “The only reason a male is going to choose you is because of your strength status.” It was true. I’ve seen the other girls prancing around the village, preparing for the big event tomorrow. All of them had at least one eye-catching feature. I sat there for five minutes wondering if just maybe... I wouldn’t get picked this year. There is no greater dishonor than to have to participate in The Choosing for a second year.

The only thing that is remotely unique about me is the way my wolf Eclipse looks. She’s white, but she has black spiral markings that wrap around her sides, and ears, framing her eyes. Nothing like that has ever been seen before, but instead of people thinking it was cool, everyone thought of it as bad juju or whatever and gave me a wide berth whenever I came around.

A knock at my door pulled me out of my self-loathing. I got up and opened the door to find my mother standing there, tall and proud.

“Oh, Artemis. I need to talk to you about tomorrow.” My shoulders visibly slumped and a small sigh passed through my lips. For the past month, all anyone’s wanted to talk to me about is The Choosing. No one ever says, “Hey Artemis! I know you’re leaving forever in a couple of weeks so why don’t we go get a milkshake or something?” No, it’s always, “Artemis I need to talk to you about The Choosing.” I put on a fake smile,

“Sure, come in.” I stepped aside and my mother crossed the room, sandy shoulder-length waves swishing, and sat on my bed with legs crossed, looking at me expectantly. I took a seat on the sofa next to the door.

“So, what about it?” I asked, trying not to make a snide remark about how I already know everything there is to possibly know. I folded my hands in my lap and noted the slight hesitation before she responded.

“Artemis, both you and your wolf are very beautiful, so-” Before I could stop it a snort came out of me. She turned to glare at me.

“I’m sorry, did I say something funny?” She had taken up a stern tone of voice. This was the part where I keep my mouth shut and respectfully shake my head. But not today. It’s my last day here, I might as well finally say what’s on my mind.

“I disagree strongly, mother.” She looked at me blankly.

“Well, you are.” I could tell by the tone of her voice that she was trying to sway me. When she tries to assure someone of something, make them believe what she wants, she gets this carefully dethatched tone of voice. It’s the very one she’s using on me now. My mother’s honesty and candor is her crowning jewel. Until it’s not.

I looked down at my clasped hands and quietly said, “But I’m not mom. I’m plain and weird. It’s why I’ve never had a boyfriend or a single friend in my entire life. You’ve seen the way people shy away from me and my wolf. It’s because I’m not like all of the other girls. Pretty. Social. I’m just not one of them. I won’t ever be, so please don’t use words to describe me that aren’t true.” My mother was silent and I didn’t dare look up.

“Artemis, The Choosing-”

“Mom! I don’t want to participate in The Choosing. I don’t want to leave Eldoro. I don’t want to be chosen only because of my strength status. I especially don’t want to leave with some stranger who doesn’t care about me at all. It’s going to be difficult for me because of the way I look, but even if I do get selected, no one there is going to care about... me.” All the things I’ve been stewing over the past couple of days finally came out of me in one gigantic jumble of words.

“What if you find your true mate?” Mom now had a bitter edge in her voice. Submit. Eclipse whimpered into my mind. Not yet, I thought.

“Mom... he’s not going to want me,” I said bitterly.

“Now Artemis, that’s not true. You do have a lovely figure and an amazing personality. Not to mention your beautiful eyes and adoring freckles.”

“At least I’m a piece of meat. Lovely. But I guess that’s all that matters to all of them, isn’t it? Sex and strength?”

Before mom could reply with something, dad walked in. Power and strength emanated from him like radioactivity. He towered over us and the numerous scars stretched over his dark skin were enough to intimidate anyone. Despite his larger-than-life presence, his eyebrows were furrowed and those dark eyes of his held concern.

“What’s going on in here?” The power in his voice finally made me submit.

“Artemis is insisting that she is too ugly to gain the attention of any of the males at The Choosing.” I opened my mouth to protest, but dad held up a hand, silencing me and sending me into submission once more.

“Get some sleep, corazón. You have to get up early tomorrow and you have a very long day ahead of you. After all, the most important day of your life is only a night away.” He turned to leave and mom stood up and followed, smoothing her skirt down as she left.

I stayed awake for four and a half hours with daunting thoughts floating around in my head. If I found my true mate, would he want me? Am I going to end up with an abusive mate? Am I even going to be with anyone at all? What if I suck in all of the events? I finally fell into an uneasy sleep at four in the morning.